Car-coupling



2 SheetsSheet 1.-

(No Model.).

Y H.'LAAKE.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 599,567. Patented Feb. 22, 1898.

INVENTOR WITNESSES: 4M2 flau e/ d jZ/Mw 0mm BY ATTORNEY8..

m: uonms PEYERS co. worcwumo WASNINGTCN o. S

. tached to the draw-bar.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

HERMAN N LAAKE, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,567, dated February 22, 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN LAAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects of this invention are to remove the danger incident to the use of the old linkand-pin style of coupling, which requires the trainman to enter between the cars in the coupling operation,toprovide a more perfectly automatic coupling than has been in use heretofore, and to secure other advantages and results, some of which may be referred to hereinafter in connection with the description of the working parts.

The invention consists in the improved railway-car coupling and in the arrangements and combinations of parts thereof, all substantially as will be hereinafter set forth, and finally embraced in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the figures, Figure 1 is a side elevation showing two cars connected by my improved coupling. Fig.2 is a plan of two interlocked coupling-heads. Fig. 3 is a front view of a coupling-head at- Fig. 4. is a sectional View of the same on line 00, and Fig. 5 shows in detail the end of one of the hooked arms.

In said drawings, a indicate car-bodies to the draw-bars a a of which the couplingheads b b are attached by the shanks b b, which shanks are threaded to screw into the ends of the draw-bars a a or may be secured thereto by any other suitable means. Each I coupling-head b oscillates upon its shank b and comprises circular front and back plates 0 and c and hooked arms ol 6?, all cast in one integral piece of iron or steel. Said plates 0 and c are pivoted on the shank b at right angles thereto, and the arms 61 d are at the upper and lower points of the circumferences Application filed September 18, 1897. Serial No. 652,119. (No model.)

of said plates and extend forward parallel to the axis or shank b of the coupling-head. Preferably the space between the plates 0 and c is entirely closed in by suitable coverings (not shown) extending between the arms and screwed or bolted to the circumferences of said plates.

Each hooked arm (1 consists of the outer bar 01 on the circumferences of the plates 0 and c, an inner bar at, extending forward from the plate 0 parallel to said outer bar at. and on the same radial line therewith, and the triangular hook end 6 between. the extremities of said bars, all cast in one integral piece with one another and the plates 0 c. In cross-section the said bars d d and hook end e are shaped on circles concentric with the axis of the coupling-head, and the two hooks of the arms 61 at point in the same direction around said circles. The hook ends 6 e are substantially triangular in shape, the forward edge 6 being inclined from the point e" forwardly across to the opposite side and slightly curved outward to'provide bearing for a similar hook end, as will be hereinafter described. The engaging edge e of the hook end is curved convexly from the point e across to the opposite side,and thus the hooks, when interlocked in a manner to be herein after described, are allowed free lateral bending on one another as the train is bent around a curve in the track.

The oscillating coupling-head b carries a weight f on the side toward which the upper coupling-hook points, adapted to hold said coupling head in normal position. The weight f is preferably secured to the outer surface ofthe cross-bar f by screws or .bolts f, although said weight may be placed on the inner surface of said cross-bar f or cast in one integral piece therewith without detions until the hook-points c e slip past each other. Then the weights f f return the coupling-heads to their normal positions,interlocking the hooks with the bearing edges 6 e in contact and coupling the cars firmly together.

Suitable stops are provided at the limits of oscillation of the coupling-head, two of these stops 9 being formed on the pivotal shank b and the others 9 g on the inner faces of the plates 0 c.

To uncouple the cars from coupled position, the coupling-heads b b are oscillated in opposite directions until the hooks release each other by means of the levers h h, tangentially secured in a convenient place on the outer surface of the coupling-head by screws or other equivalent means.

If it is desired that the cars shall retain an uncoupled condition for some length of time until they can be drawn apart, the couplingheads Z) Z) are secured in an unlocked position by means of retaining-catches on each car. This retaining-catch comprises the catch-lever 2', tangentially pivoted by the pin 1" to the upper surface of the coupling-head and near the edge thereof next to the car, together with a suitable stop j, placed on an elbow-shaped arm 70, projecting from the end of the drawbar, said stop 7' being adapted to be engaged by the catch-lever 11 when the coupling-head is oscillated to the unlocked position. As soon as the cars are separated the catch-lever 'i is pushed free from the stop j, and the weight f brings the coupling-head back to its normal position ready for coupling.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new is 1. In a car-coupling, the herein-described coupling-head, pivoted 011 a shank projecting from the draw-bar, and comprising front and back plates centrally perforated to receive said shank and having on their inner faces stop-blocks adapted to engage codperating stops on the shank, forwardly projecting hooked arms carried at diametrically opposite points on the peripheries of said plates, and a cross-barsecu red to said plates and supporting a weight to hold said coupling-head in normal position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination with a shank projecting from the draw-bar, of the coupling-head having front and back plates and two forwardly-extending hooked arms, each comprising the outer bar, (1, reaching from the back plate, inner bar 61, reaching from the front plate, and the hook end, 6, between the extremities of said bars, all said parts being cast in one integral piece, and arranged, substantially as set forth.

3. In a car-coupling, the coupling-head herein described having the forwardly-extending arms (I, (Z, each comprising parallel outer and inner bars (1, d, and hook end 6, said bars and hook end being arranged in cross-section on circles concentric with the axial center of said coupling-head, and the coupling-hooks thus formed pointing in the same direction around said circles, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination in acar-coupling,of the coupling-head 1), comprising front and back plates. 0, c, and two forwardlyextending hooked arms, d, (Z, all cast in one integral piece, the weight f, to hold said coupling-head in normal position, stops g, g, to limit the oscillation of said coupling-head, and the retaining-catch, to hold said coupling-head in an unlocked position,all said parts being arranged and combined, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 1st day of September, 1807.

HERMANN LAAKE.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES II. PELL, G. B. PITNEY. 

